Finally: A Social Media App That Doesn't Make You Hate Yourself

By H Kapp-Klote

January 05, 2018

Huddle helps LGBTQ+ people find support and build community.

As the new year kicks off, many of us are resolving to prioritize self-care and work on our mental health — especially following the tough and stressful year that was 2017. As Newsweek reported last April, more Americans than ever before suffer from stress, depression, and anxiety. Social media, in spite of its negative emotional impact, is all about connection, and can be a critical way to build support for those who need it, particularly when in crisis. That’s the idea behind Huddle, a new mental health app that allows people to form small online support groups around particular issues.

What makes Huddle distinct is its focus on building community and supportive relationships — a key element of 12 step programs. The app allows users to upload videos of themselves talking about their struggles, and allows other users to weigh in with insight and support. While there are many apps and online communities centered around mental health, such as 7 Cups of Tea, or Daily Strength, Huddle is a rare app that focuses on peer support. It includes video as a key part of the user experience, allowing users to connect not just via text or message board, but through real time, face-to-face conversation.

Theodore, a transgender bisexual person who declined to give their last name, has used Huddle for a few months. "I’ve always wanted to be part of a community where I could be myself and share my struggles and victories. I struggle with depression, anxiety, and a panic disorder — I tried out a lot of other mental health apps but Huddle just stuck with me. Whenever I was struggling, people I don't know were there for me." Another queer Huddle user, Alex, said, "it’s helped me feel a little less scared about expressing myself and my emotions."

As co-founders Tyler Faux and Dan Blackman explain, integrating video as the app’s linchpin is key to building connection, as "the camera in our phone emulate[s] the humanity and positivity of in-person support groups." It also helps combat the dehumanization of people with mental illnesses, allowing individuals share their stories with others who can relate, and creating space for personal interaction on multiple scales.

Groups represented on the platform include LGBTQ+ people, people of color, recovering addicts, sexual assault survivors, high school students, people quitting smoking, and those struggling with depression, stress, and anxiety. According to its founders, Huddle is the antithesis of other social media like Instagram and Facebook — it’s about “honesty and vulnerability” rather than the ego-driven personas that users create on other platforms.

Photo by Huddle App

Stigma around mental health and queer identity can be twofold. LGBTQ+ people face significant rates of mental illness and addiction, and, as youth, are four times as likely to commit suicide as their heterosexual peers. As mental health care becomes even less accessible in the U.S., tools like Huddle help fill in the gaps, and give people a way to overcome isolation and other barriers to support.

While a key piece of Huddle’s interface is video pixelation, which allows members to pixelate and blur their faces in order to remain anonymous, the app tries to address other concerns around safety and identity. Blackman and Faux are passionate about preventing "bullies" on the app, and prioritize community moderation particularly as use of Huddle grows. Yet Huddle is only accessible with a Facebook account or cell phone number, which doesn’t allow for complete anonymity. The need to register with a Facebook account also presents some concerns for transgender people who may be blocked by Facebook unless they use their legal name (though Facebook claims to have changed this policy).

For many transgender users, the support they find on the app may outweigh the logistical challenges. As Theodore says, "[Huddle] is a LGBTQIA+ friendly app. I have received nothing but love and support." Robyn Kanner, a writer and designer who was an early adopter of the Huddle app, told me via Twitter DM, "Huddle has attracted a pretty youthful audience. It’s so endearing and human how trans people are able to talk to one another in a very empathetic way. It’s very clear we’re all in this together."

Though the idea of an app to support people struggling with daily life and mental health is not new, Huddle puts a fresh spin on peer support, helps combat stigma, and builds supportive communities connecting across the world.

H Kapp-Klote is a writer and digital organizer from Kansas. Their writing has appeared in Truthout, The Chicago Reader, and In These Times.